The present invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator for operating a final control element including at least one solenoid which is arranged in a housing, and an armature constructed of laminations upon which the solenoid acts.
An electromagnetic actuator for operating a final control element of the type mentioned above is known from International Patent Document WO 00/46490. The final control element is a charge cycle valve of an internal-combustion engine. The actuator has at least one solenoid formed by a yoke body having a coil, which yoke body has a pole face. The actuator also has an armature element which can be moved back and forth with respect to the pole face by way of a guide pin. The armature element consists of an armature plate which is fixedly connected with the guide pin. The armature plate has two cover plates between which a bundle of laminations is arranged. The bundle consists of a plurality of laminations which are fixedly connected with one another, are aligned perpendicular to the cover plates, and are connected with the latter.
An electromagnetic actuator for operating a charge cycle valve of an internal-combustion engine is known from earlier German Patent Application DE 100 35759.8. The actuator has a swivelling armature which is swivellable about an axis disposed between two solenoids. The armature has a duct for transporting a medium, the duct extending, transversely to the moving direction of the armature, through the armature.
It is an object of the invention to further develop an actuator of the above-mentioned type.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing at least one of the laminations of which the armature is constructed with at least one passage opening which forms a duct for transporting a medium.
A process of assembling the electromagnetic actuator, moreover, includes constructing the armature upon which at least one solenoid is to act of individual laminations, and automatically creating the duct for transporting the medium when the individual laminations are joined to construct the armature.
One significant advantage of the invention relates to the simple production of the duct. The duct is automatically created when individual laminations are joined to form the armature; before assembly, only the passage opening has to be made in the lamination, for example, by laser cutting or punching. After the individual laminations are joined to form a bundle of laminations forming the armature, the passage opening is laterally bounded by adjacent laminations. If, advantageously, several laminations are provided with several passage openings, then, as a result of grouping and nesting the laminations having the passage openings, arbitrary duct cross-sections and courses can be implemented. Curved contours can also be implemented within a lamination, which would not be possible if the duct were drilled. The duct can advantageously be used at low constructive expenditures for supplying a play compensation element, for lubricating bearings of the armature, and/or for cooling the armature.
Further developments, embodiments, and advantages of the invention are claimed and described.